HPE ProLiant DL380 G5 Hard Drives
Genuine HPE hot-plug hard drives for the HPE ProLiant DL380 G5, new and refurbished, tested before shipping. This chassis is eight 2.5-inch SFF bays and nothing else, and the storage path behind them runs at 3G SAS and 1.5G SATA — which is what decides whether a newer drive is worth its price here.
DL380 G5 Drive Specifications
- Bays: eight hot-plug small form factor (2.5-inch) bays, positions 1 to 8, taking SAS or SATA drives on the standard internal SFF drive cage
- Storage path: the Smart Array E200 and P400 controllers present 3G SAS and 1.5G SATA
- Maximum internal capacity: 4.0TB on eight 500GB SFF SAS drives, or 2.0TB on eight 250GB SATA drives
- Families listed: SAS Enterprise (ENT) and SAS Midline (MDL), SATA Midline (MDL) and SATA Entry (ETY), plus SATA Midline solid state drives
- Solid state: 60GB and 120GB 3G SATA Midline SSDs, supported up to eight and in any of positions 1 to 8
- Carriers: every drive listed here ships in the 2.5-inch hot-plug carrier this chassis takes
Two things stop a drive seating in this chassis, and neither has a workaround. The DL380 G5 was built with a small form factor front end only, so a 3.5-inch drive will not fit any of its eight bays. And the drives for this generation use the hot-plug carrier that predates the SmartDrive (SC) tray, so a drive pulled from a Gen8 or later server does not transfer across. Check both before ordering.
Which drive family fits your DL380 G5?
| Family | Typical interface | What it suits |
|---|---|---|
| SAS Enterprise (ENT) | SAS, 10K and 15K rpm | Arrays that carry transactional load, and the longest duty cycle |
| SAS Midline (MDL) | SAS, 7.2K rpm | Bulk capacity where dual-port SAS is still wanted |
| SATA Midline (MDL) | 3G SATA, 7.2K rpm | The cheapest route to capacity in these eight bays |
| SATA Entry (ETY) | 1.5G and 3G SATA, 5.4K rpm | Light duty and low power, where throughput is not the point |
| SATA Midline SSD | 3G SATA | Boot and read-heavy roles rather than bulk storage |
Interface generation buys very little here. HPE's own note is that the drive, controller, firmware and backplane should all run at the same transfer rate or the system negotiates down to the slowest of them — and on a G5 that is the controller. Spend on capacity, spindle speed and the right family instead.
Choosing the Right DL380 G5 Hard Drive
- Eight bays is the whole envelope. There is no second drive cage for this chassis, so the array you can build is capped at eight drives.
- Check the controller before buying SATA. With the 8 Internal Port SAS HBA or the SC44Ge host bus adapter, HPE requires 1.5G SATA drives specifically; the Smart Array cards take 3G SATA.
- SAS Enterprise for arrays that matter, SATA Midline for bulk. Enterprise SAS carries the higher spindle speeds and the longer warranty; SATA carries the capacity per pound.
- Buy carriers for the empty bays. Empty 2.5-inch SAS and SATA carriers are listed alongside the drives, which matters if you are filling bays a previous owner emptied.
Complete Your DL380 G5 Build
The controller sets the RAID levels and the transfer rate these drives will actually reach, so read DL380 G5 storage controllers before committing to an array. Also available: DL380 G5 memory, processors, networking adapters and power supplies, or the full DL380 G5 parts listing. Background reading: SAS vs SATA hard drives, understanding data transfer rate and why HPE changed drive carriers. Other models are listed under HPE parts by server model.
DL380 G5 Hard Drives FAQ
How many hard drives does a DL380 G5 hold?
Eight, in hot-plug 2.5-inch SFF bays numbered 1 to 8. There is no second drive cage for this chassis and no large form factor version of it, so eight is the maximum.
Can I put 3.5-inch drives in a DL380 G5?
No. The DL380 G5 was built with a small form factor front end only. A 3.5-inch drive will not seat in the bay or the carrier, and no adapter makes it fit.
What is the maximum storage capacity of a DL380 G5?
4.0TB internally, as eight 500GB SFF SAS drives. Using SATA the documented figure is 2.0TB, as eight 250GB drives.
Will a 6G or 12G SAS drive work in a DL380 G5?
It will seat and run, but not at its rated speed. The Smart Array E200 and P400 present a 3G SAS interface, and HPE notes that the drive, controller, firmware and backplane negotiate down to a rate all of them share.
Do drives from a Gen8 server fit a DL380 G5?
No. Gen8 and later drives use the SmartDrive (SC) carrier, which is a different tray from the hot-plug carrier this generation uses. The drive has to come in the carrier the chassis expects.
Can I use SATA drives in a DL380 G5?
Yes, in Midline, Entry and solid state forms. One caveat: with the 8 Internal Port SAS HBA or the SC44Ge host bus adapter rather than a Smart Array card, HPE requires 1.5G SATA drives.
✅ Looking for a specific DL380 G5 drive? Browse our full selection below.
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